Tuesday, December 1, 2009

After shopping, cooking, cleaning, decorating, settling the kids, and teaching lessons, are you looking for a way to lighten the load? This is a simple stress buster that costs nothing and takes only a few minutes to create.

I feel a bit shy about sharing it. I've enjoyed it so much that it's become a very meaningful part of my private world every holiday season. But as I was thinking of what would be the most effective way for a mom to manage holiday stress, this was the first thing that came to mind.

In late November, I set up a "Mom's Corner" for short personal retreats. Here's how I do it. I arrange comfortable seating near a visual treat -- overlooking a window, near the Christmas tree, beside the fireplace, or in a pretty corner of the house. This year, my comfortable reading chair is in front of French doors beside our Christmas tree. My view looks out onto hemlocks and rolling hills.

Beside the chair is a table for coffee or tea. Nearby are my current reading books, Bible, and journal. Sometimes my corner is decorated with a candle, magazines, or fresh flowers. The important thing is that I am not looking at clutter or things that must get done.

When I sit in the chair, I do not think about all the tasks I could do. Instead, I listen to music, look at the Christmas tree, gaze out the window, read a book, daydream, and enjoy a rich cup of coffee or tea. I am carried away by all of this to a different place for a few minutes. My retreat may last anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour, but when I return to my responsibilities, I'm refreshed.

I think it's important to start each day in my special corner. I take my breakfast and coffee to the chair in the early quiet and feast with the light outside rising and small birds busying themselves against the evergreens. I read my Bible and pray. I set my heart by the motion of the wind and the whispers of the Spirit. Later in the day, I return to my little corner at least once in the afternoon, to reflect, to pause, to give thanks, to be still. I reconnect with God and with my own soul. Am I living in a way that is authentic and without regret? I gaze at the beauty around me until my soul mends from the stress of the day.

Does it make a difference? I know it does.

Because of these quiet times, and a space in which to have them, I have lived a deeper and truer life. My soul has breathed and gathered strength. I've connected with my heart longings and my core values more often and made choices that were crucial to building a home which reflected these.

I doubt I could have done any of it without my little corner, away from it all.

5 comments:

Mine is also near the tree in the family room. Thanks for sharing the reminder to make gathering strength a priority. "My soul has breathed and gathered strength" Beautiful words. I'm letting out a big sigh...

I really appreciate your posts on stressbusters. Right now, I really don't have a "corner" I can make my own. However, I have my recliner. While during the day it's right in the center of where we are usually at (we spend a lot of our time in the living room and dining room area), it's still my place to go to snuggle up and relax. In the early morning, I can sit there and enjoy the quietness of the house and the beautiful lights on the tree. At night, I can snuggle up in my chair with a blanket and watch TV or read a book or sip a cup of hot tea/coffee. Sometimes in the afternoon, it's my place to prop my feet up and close my eyes as I simply take a break in my day to relax. My poor ole' recliner is quite worn out. And we hope to soon buy a new one. But until then, it's still my comfy seat that I enjoy taking a break in.

Oh, my! My kids are still so little that they practically take up the whole house! Why is it that the littlest people take up the most space? I have toys in almost every room (my room is a no-toy zone) :-) There is clutter everywhere. Stuff up on ledges away from little hands. Things to do abound. I do take time for myself everyday to crochet or do some other craft or reading, but there is no special spot in my home I could make my own... yet! :-)shellie